FOX Forced To Demote American Idol Winner From National Anthem Duties At Bears-Packers Game

In what was meant to be a typical bit of FOX corporate synergy, American Idol winner Lee DeWyze was scheduled to sing the national anthem at the NFC Championship Game at Solider Field on Sunday. Both the game and American Idol are broadcast on FOX.

But in a rare instance of a TV network actually giving the public what it wants, DeWyze has been replaced by singer Jim Cornelison.

Viewers who turned into the Bears-Seahawks game early last week were wowed by Cornelison's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" (check it out below), but Chicagoans were used to it, as Cornelison has sang the anthem at Blackhawks home games since 1996.

Cornelison fired up the crowd — maybe too much? — and Bears jumped on the Seahawks early so fans demanded that they keep that mojo working against the Packers. DeWyze has bumped to halftime duty.

FOX has become notorious for inserting its own primetime stars into the sporting events it broadcasts, having their actors get "caught" on camera enjoying their free box seats and even giving a cameo to a character during the MLB All-Star Game.